Folding bed or couch



March 22, 1932. o. FICHTENBAUM FOLDING BED OR COUCH 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 28, 1950 INVENTOR. 05cm? F/c//rE/voaw/ BiC/@7M mvo ATTORNEYS.

March 22, 1932. o. FICHTENBAUM 1,850,262

v FOLDING BED OR COUCH Filed April 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 22, 1932 l UNITEDA STATES PATE-NT3 oFFlcE.

l OSCAR FICHTENBAUM, F BROOKLYN, YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IVO .JOSE'.PH` P. @fi

FICHTENBAUM AND' HARRY FICHTENBAUM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW `YORK FOLDING BED 0R COUCH Application filed April 28,

This invention is an improvement in folding beds or couches, and particularly of the type commonly known as davenports.

One of the primary objects of the inveni tion is the provision of asimple, strong and durable structure, of a foldable nature, enabling it to be moved into open or bed position, and closed or couchv position. Y

' With this and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it beingunderstood thatV var1- ous changes in the form, proportion, sizeand minor details of construction 'within `the scope of the claims, may be resorted to with out departing from the spirit of the invention. l

In the drawings forming a part hereof Fig. 1 is an end view with the bed in unfolded position, and with the main structure in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one end of the bed. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing4 the structure partly folded. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the structure completely folded.

In the present construction, which is an improvement over my prior Patent No.' 1,626,801, granted May 3, 1927, the main frame of the couch, bed or davenport, is composed as is usual, of end pieces 1, having the usual cushions 2, and connected by back pieces 3, sundry of which carry the back cushion 4, and a front or base board 5. which is detachably connected with the end pieces 1, by means of angle pieces 6, veach having one part secured to the end piece, and another part extending at right angles thereto, against which the base member 5 abuts.

The angl-e piecesf have` vertical slots or notches, which are engaged by headed studs 7 on the'base member. This'enables quick and easy detachment of the base member when desired. The folding bed structure includes a mai-n frame, composed of a vertically movable substantially U-shapedportion, consisting of arms 7, and a connection 8 between the rear or inner ends-of the arms,and aswing- 1930. SeraLNo. 448,113.

ing section also of substantially Ushape, composed ofarms 9 connected at what is their outer ends when the bed Ais unfolded, by a connecting member 10, and the vertically movable section is connected tothe swinging section, by links 11.

The links 11 are pivoted at their rear ends to the arms 7 of'the verticallymovablepo-r? tion, 'and at their front ends to the arms 9` of the swinging portion, so that the swinging portion may swing into'substantial parallelism with the vertically movable portion when the bed is folded, or in substantial alinement therewith, when the bed is unfold-' ed, as shown in Fig. 1 bracket plates '11a are -rigidlysecured to the links 11 on the outer face thereof, and the pivotal connection between the sections 9 `and 11 yextends through saidl brackets. Y The ends of the brackets 11a es overlap the sections 9.V l 7o f The couch or davenport seat composed as y is usual, of Vay wooden frame 13,and a cushion 14 secured thereto, isV supported at its ends, and connected to the swinging portion ofthe frame structure, by leversy 15 and 16,l a pair 75' of levers being arranged at each end of the couch'.I The levers 15 are pivoted to the frame 13, to the adjacent end member 9 of the swinging portion of the frame, Vand to links 17, which are pivoted at one end to the ends of they brackets 11a which overlap the sections 9', the pivotal connection between the swinging portion of the frame and the levers 15 being intermediate they ends of the said e levers. *The levers 16 are pivoted to fixed 85 brackets on the seat frame 13,#and to laterally extending lugs 18 on the links 11 before mentioned. e

A leg 19 is pivoted toeach end of the seat frame intermediate thefends of the leg, as indicated atQO, and that end of the leg adjacent to the swinging portion 10 of the frame ystructure is connectedby a link 21 to the link 17 before mentioned, intermediate the ends thereof.A The arrangement is such that when the parts are in the position of Fig. 1, the leg will be swung by its connections 21-17, into vertical position, to support the swinging portion of the frame structure. f

The vertically movable frame portion 7 8, 100 l is supported by links 22-23, a pair of links being arranged at each end of the frame structure. The links are pivoted to brackets 24 extending upwardly from the arms 7 of the frame structure, andvto a strip 25, which is removably supported on the adjacent end piece l of the couch frame. Each of these strips 25, as shown in Fig. 3, has a horizontal notch at one end, which engages a headed stud 26, securedto the endV member 1. and at the other end a vertical notch. which slips over a threaded stud 27, also held on the adjacent end piece. A wing nut 28 engages the stud. and bv means of the nut the strip may be clamped in place on the end piece. Each strip is easilv disengaged bv loosening the wing nut. lifting the forward end, and moving the strip horizontally forward to disengage the stud 26. l

As shown in Fig. 3. the levers 23 extend Vabove their connection with the arm 7 of the frame portion 7--8. and the upper ends of the levers are connected bvlinks 29Ywith the elements 11 before mentioned. The frame portion 7 8 swings on tbe levers 22-23 in foldingr and unfolding the bed. and means is provided for cushioning the movement of said frame portion. The said means includes coil springs 30. each of which is` connected at one end with the adiacent lever 22 near the top thereof;V and at the other end to the pivotal connection ofthe link 23 with the element 25.

A second pair of springs 34 is arranged hetween the end nieces 1 and the arm 7 of the frame portion 7-8. the said snrino' being connected to the arm 7 intermedi nte the ends ofthe arm. Both springs 30'and 34 are tensioned when the bed is unfolded. as indicated in Fig. 1. and the springs 30 are arranged to be tensioned when the bed is folded. as shown in Fig. 4. the springs 34 beiner at this time in the position shown in the said ligure.

When the bed is completelv folded. the arms 7 seat upon rests 35 secured to the end pieces 1, and the arms 9 of the frame portions 9-10, seat upon rests 36, alsosecured to the end pieces.

- Guide or brace strips 37 are secured to the end pieces 1 of the bed structure, the said strips inclining upwardly and forwardly, as shown, and being cam shaped. That is, the forward ends of the strips are offset with respect to the rear ends, so that the planes of the strips converge toward the front of the bed. As the frame structure moves in the position of Fig. ,1, the levers 22cmove along the inclined faces of the strips, which provide stays for the levers when in vertical position. lVear plates 40 are secured to the upper edge of the front board 5, in positions corresponding to the location of the link members 11, for contact with the said members in certain positions. A strap 4l is provided in Lacasse connection with the seat board 13 for convenience in manipulating the same.

The operation of the device is as follows: With the parts in the position of Fig. 4 to unfold the bed, the strap 41 is grasped, and the seat is moved outwardly into the position of Fig. 3, carrying with it the swinging portion 9-10 of the frame structure. This portion swings upon the links l1, and the movement is continued until the parts occupy the position of Fig. 1. The spring 34 is thus placed under tension, cushioning the outward swing of the seat, and the movement of the seat and associated parts causes the legs 19 to assume the position of Fig. 1. that is, a position to support the swinging frame portion and associated parts. To fold the bed, the strap 41 is grasped, and the parts are moved in the reverse direction. This movement is cushioned by the contraction of the spring 34, and the expansion of the spring 30. In folded position, the frame portions rest upon the rests 35 and 36.

The central or link section composed of the elements 11 and associated parts, include also a tubular longitudinal bar 42, which is cranked slightly at its ends, as shown at Fig. 2, the cranked portions being pivotally connected with the links 11.

The elements 7 8, 9--10 and 11, constitute a folding mattress frame, and the entire frame is movable, moving when the couch is folded, and when it is unfolded. During the unfolding, the vertically movable portion 7 -8, so described for convenience, swings upwardly and outwardly away from the back. The entire mattress frame including the seat and associated parts may be detached from the couch body, by means of the strips 25, the parts being v:supported by the strips. The springs 30 and 34 cushion the folding and unfolding movement of the seat, so that but slight effort is required to fold or to unfold the couch. Foldable head and foot boards or pillow rests are provided, which are indicated at 60. These boards are at the ends of the swinging section of the mattress frame.

In my prior patent above referred to, a construction is provided enabling the seat to drop below the outer mattress frame section when in unfolded position, the said connection including slotted links. In the present arrangement the same result is obtained through the link 16 and the lever 15 and associated parts. When the seat is folded, the levers and links enable the seat to drop down close to the frame section, while in unfolded position, as shown in Fig. 1, the seat drops Well below the mattress frame, and has the additional support of the legs.

What is claimed as new is A folding bed or couch, comprising a couch structure including a, seat frame and a seat, a mattress frame composed of relatively wide inner and outer sections pivotally connected by an intermediate relatively narrow section, the sections being arranged to fold with the relatively wide sectionssubstantially parallel in the seat frame and to unfold with al1 of the sections occupying the same plane, a lever pivotally connected between the relatively narrow section and one end of the seat, a secd ond lever pivotally connected at one end to lthe legs into folded position within the seat frame when the sections are swung Yinto the y seat frame.

Signed at New York, in the county of New :York and State of New York, this 25th day of April, A. D. 1930.

OSCARv FICHTENBAUM. 

